Are We Alone? & A Drabble

Are we alone in the universe? Like me, many of you reading this have looked up at the stars in the night sky and wondered. Is there intelligent life on a planet surrounding one of those stars gazing up at the night sky just like me? Maybe looking at our sun. Rather than attempt to summarize all that has been written about the odds of intelligent life besides our own in the universe, I will simply show a drabble of mine that was published a few years ago. Incidentally, a drabble is a story of about or exactly 100 words.

The Significant Event

The teen gazed at the icy points filling the night sky. So many stars meant countless planetary systems. He knew in his lifetime intelligent beings from other worlds would be discovered.

One of the stars grew noticeably brighter. Twisting his head, he stared at the light as it grew into a disc. He jumped to his feet, the object approaching at an incredible rate.

Rafordy’s head poked through the hatchway and looked down at the landing pad. Seeing the tips of four alien limbs jutting out from underneath it, he said, “They’re not going to like this back at Houston.”

Note: This post prompted by the following passage from the novel,The Field Trip:

“The stars are pretty,” she spoke softly.
Ross hesitated, not believing she had actually said
something to him that conveyed sentiment, atypical of her
usual flat statement. Anxious to seize the opportunity, he
answered somewhat hurriedly, “Yes they are.”

“I have never had the chance to enjoy them prior to this
night.”

Ross looked up at the moon. “That is unfortunate.
Nature has so much to offer. It kind of puts things in
perspective. You begin to realize how insignificant the
human race, this planet, and our solar system are in relation
to the rest of the universe. Jay, just imagine how many other
races are out there at this very second, their eyes looking at
the very same stars as you and I.”